Cambridge Township in Brooklyn in Lenawee County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Michigan International Speedway:
Premier motorsports facility for the Automotive State
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, January 10, 2024
1. Michigan International Speedway: Marker
Ground was broken for what is now called "Michigan International Speedway" (M.I.S.), on Sept. 27, 1967. Over 2.5 million cubic yards of dirt were moved to form the oval racetrack. The facility, developed by Detroit entrepreneur Lawrence LoPatin and designed by architect Charles Moneypenny, was created to be among the best and fastest of its kind in the world. Hallmarks include its banked, D-shaped, 2-mile oval for high speed racing and three road courses designed by Formula 1 great Stirling Moss. Michigan Governor George Romney, who previously headed American Motors, drove the pace car on the day of the inaugural race in 1968. Owners of the facility, besides LoPatin, were champion driver and businessman Roger Penske of Penske Motorsports, Inc., and International Speedway Corp. (ISC), founded by Bill France. NASCAR acquired ISC, including M.I.S., on Oct. 18, 2019. In 2023, the property comprises about 1,400 acres and reflects numerous expansions, improvements and state-of-the-art accommodations. Drivers and fans say the facility's race control tower, garages and media facility are among the finest in the country.
The inaugural event at M.I.S., attended by more than 25,000 fans, was won by Ronnie Bucknam (above) on Oct. 13, 1968.
this page online
Erected 2023 by Jackson County Michigan Historical Society.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is October 13, 1968.
Location. 42° 3.558′ N, 84° 14.448′ W. Marker is in Brooklyn, Michigan, in Lenawee County. It is in Cambridge Township. Marker is on U.S. 12 (U.S. 12) near US-12 Crossover, on the right when traveling west. The marker is located at the US 12 entrance to the speedway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12626 US-12, Brooklyn MI 49230, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. At the Crossroads (approx. 0.8 miles away); Cambridge Junction Historic State Park (approx. 0.9 miles away); Walker Tavern (approx. one mile away); a different marker also named The Walker Tavern (approx. one mile away); Cambridge Junction (approx. one mile away); St. Michael and All Angels Church (approx. 1.1 miles away); Wooden Stone School (approx. 3.1 miles away); Brooklyn's Founder (approx. 3.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brooklyn.
Also see . . . Michigan International Speedway
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, January 10, 2024
2. Michigan International Speedway: Marker
Michigan International Speedway (MIS) is a 2 mi (3.2 km) moderate-banked D-shaped speedway located in Cambridge Township, Michigan, approximately four miles (6.4 km) south of the village of Brooklyn. Situated on more than 1,400 acres (5.7 km2) in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan, the track is 70 miles (110 km) west of the center of Detroit, 40 miles (64 km) from Ann Arbor, and 60 miles (97 km) south and northwest of Lansing, Michigan and Toledo, Ohio, respectively. MIS is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a sister track to Texas World Speedway, and was used as the basis of Auto Club Speedway. The track is owned by NASCAR. Michigan International Speedway is recognized as one of motorsports' premier facilities because of its wide racing surface and high banking (by open-wheel standards; the 18-degree banking is modest by stock car standards).(Submitted on January 13, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan.)
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, January 10, 2024
3. Michigan International Speedway: Marker
The marker is located behind the yellow mail sign.
Photographed By J.T. Lambrou, January 10, 2024
4. Michigan International Speedway
Photographed By Harry Pot, July 21, 1964
5. Ron Bucknum
Note: His name is spelled incorrectly on the marker where is calls him Bucknam.
By Harry Pot - Nationaal Archief, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=33181329
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 13, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 47 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on January 13, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
